5 exposed to hepatitis B at Boston hospital

Patients notified, being treated, BMC says

As many as five people may have been exposed to hepatitis B at a local hospital, according to state health officials.

The possible exposure happened last month at Boston Medical Center. The patients who were potentially exposed have been notified, the medical center said.

A doctor told one of those patients, Joan Cooper, of Weymouth, that some medical machinery may not have been cleaned properly after it was used to treat a patient with Hepatitis B -- which is a disease that attacks the liver.

Two weeks later Cooper, 64, said she got a call from the hospital telling her she may have been exposed to hepatitis B during inpatient dialysis.

"My faith in medicine was always very high. It's been shaken to my core right now," said Cooper.

In a statement Boston Medical told WCVB: "Recently, we became aware that a small number of patients were potentially exposed to hepatitis B virus. We have communicated with these patients and are monitoring them closely."

The potentially infected patients are being closely monitored.

The hospital says it has already taken steps to prevent a repeat occurrence.

Officials are investigating the incident.

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